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The Littlest ThistleI bought myself a Brother machine last year and have finally started machine sewing larger bears - they used to be exclusively hand sewn because my old machine, that I inherited from my gran, had a fabric munching habit! Whilst I could live with that if I was knocking up a fleece, or a bag or something, I just couldn't bear the idea of it eating a bit of bear! It's a mid range one that I got at bottom of the range prices from a kind of clearance site, and it's a dream to use, although I'm still fine tuning the tension I need, I would never have said that about the old one (although as my gran points out, when retired last year it was 26 years old and had been a basic model when she got it!)
As for the room, I may do some cleaning in a bit and take photos as a friend in the US has demanded blow by blow photos of a bear being made (what she doesn't know is that she'll be getting the bear at the end 
)
Jellybelly BearsIts so great seeing all your work spaces! I just cleaned mine up from my latest bear, so thought I'd take a few to show you all too. Be warned, I have lots of fluff and clutter, but it helps me get creative, and really, its my favourite room in the house, I use it to do my yoga and meditation too, it has a really nice feel. Mum shares it too so her sewing machine and work is on the "tidy" side....but as you can probably see, I've encroached on her space too lol
And as always, Pippin is always with me...his favourite place while I work is looking out the window, if not on my lap 
thanks for your lovely comments guys,
yes when i finally do ever have time and space to sew i will sew so hard to not miss my babies, wont i? !!!
thanks
cat xxxxxxxx
Bubble Up Bears!Thanks again everyone.
You have been very generous with all your answers to my questions and again I appreciate it.
Sarah your room is so bright and cheery. Just lovely. And of course you have one of the best assistants anyone could ask for.
DoodlebearsSarah, move over a bit, I'm coming to live with you. 
What a wonderful place you have creted to work n...love it! 
Huggies, Jane. 
Jellybelly Bearslol, yes Cyndee, he is a great assistant
Jane, lol, don't tease me, I would love you to come over
Little Bear GuyCindi I believe Steve would think any Janome is a good machine . The one you have is fine as others have said if you like it and works well for you that's all that matters. I know his sister who does dance costumes as well as used a brother machine she bought at Wal-Mart for under $100.00 and it worked great (granted she replaced it with a Janome when she could afford to and her daughter now has the brother).
The singer we got is not a feather weight, I have not had time to really look at it and research it to see what it is, it certainly does need a good cleaning. We have a great shop where we buy our machines from and they give us good deals and are great with service, so we may just wind up taking both of them in there and have them spruce them up. I don't know if we will keep them or not. Each one weighs a ton that's all I know so good and rugged construction. Steve just located an Industrial serger for his sister that does nothing but rolled hems as she does a lot of those with the costumes and she needed a work horse, they picked it up for about $200.00 so it was a steal.
Thank you for the compliments on our bears and critters, we have backed off on shows this yr and we aren't doing another one until August which is TBAI in NY state. So we are hoping to spend that free time working on new designs.
Steve's swim suits he has started are mainly for men, I had a hard time finding nice looking suits that fit and weren't all baggy. So Steve has designed some and all of our friends want them, so when he gets the chance he sits down and makes a bunch of them. I think he'd like to do something like that full time, he is so creative and can make just about anything. I'll have to see if we have any pics of the swimsuits or not, if not will have to make sure we take some.
big hugs for now
Shane
Sarah, what a lovely workspace! So colourful and so very you!
desertmountainbearI love your space too Sarah, It looks so full of inspiration.
Joanne
I'm so envious of all of your beautiful Work Spaces, (and sewing machines : )
My one & only sewing machine is a Viking. I love it, but would like to have atleast one industrial machine.
I will embarrassingly share my "One Butt Studio" :redface: : ) I live in a tiny one bedroom apartment, so have to store all of my supplies wherever I can fit them .....in my closets, under my bed etc....
My studio is what should be my dining room.
In the first photo, you will see the computer/office side of my studio which acts as the walls for my studio.
Please don't laugh too hard
:hug: Denise
Back Road BearsNot laughing, Denise! I love cozy places to create in. And I was just saying to my husband the other night that I miss our two room (just two rooms!) apartment that we lived in for the first 4 years we were married! The dining area became my "studio" and shared office space. I was always bumping my head on the chandelier!
What a very clever idea to hang that blind on the back side of your shelves and hang pictures on it! It takes a lot of cleverness to make small spaces work! I love your work area!!
Thank you Daphne for your sweet comments. I really appreciate that. I'm getting really sick of cozy & want to spread my wings I do do most of my sewing on my couch, so am only in there when I'm designing, cutting and sewing on the machine. But still, to have everything in one room instead of spread out all over is a big dream of mine : )
:hug: Denise
Bubble Up Bears!Thank you Shane for answering all my questions. :)
You're a sweetheart!
Little Bear GuyOH Cyndee you are a sweetheart yourself, and I do apologize for spelling your name wrong ( I know better than that sheesh).
big hugs
Shane
Bubble Up Bears!Oh Shane don't give it a second thought!!
My own Father spelled it Syndie for my entire life!hehe!!
So no worries there and I didn't even notice ! :hug:
desertmountainbearSmall but very organized I see Denise. I also see some very nice pieces of furniture, and some very sweet bears. Look at it this way, less space, less to clean, more time to work. That is what I need.
Joanne
JRB CREATIONSDenise I love your studio!! It does look very cozy! It is wonderful to see where all of your beautiful bears are born!
:hug:
*Jeannette
Denise & Sarah, love your studios!!
Here are a couple of mine. It's now in the front room. We do all our "living" in the back family room. The front room was only used to display my bear collection.
I needed more light - just LOVE the huge window! My mohair and most of my supplies are in the guest room closet.
Yep, I'm in the playpen with the puppy LOL! It's much easier to keep an eye on her this way!
JRB CREATIONSLaura Lynn, what a wonderful space! Lots of room! I have taken over my entire living room too, LOL! we watch TV and everything in our family room which is attached to the kitchen. The only bad thing about being in the living room is that everyone has to walk through my mess to get to the bedrooms and bathroom. Sometimes I wish I had a door to shut, LOL! Maybe someday :pray: Is your puppy the little chihuahua you were telling us about?
Sarah, your space is great!! So much color and inspiration! You have a wonderful little helper too, he is adorable!
:hug:
*Jeannette
Posts: 751Denise,
What you said about your craft space reminds me of card I bought several years - I had to have it. It reads:-
CREATIVE WOMEN put all their supplies in one basett - then two and three basketts - then in cupboards and drawers. Then in closets and under beds ....!
How true - all us Creative Women know what you mean!
Karon
The Littlest ThistleI stuck mine up on my blog a couple of days ago and totally forgot to share here, oops! Here they are anyway.
Like Denise I'm in a very small 2-bedroom flat, and as I have a flatmate I can't use his room as my craft room unfortunately 
Theoretically this is my living room/dining room. My work table is the 'dining' table, and erm, I don't invite people round often as there are few non-working places to sit 
Although I could investigate guest labour I suppose...
Photo #1 is my sewing machine, surrounded by all my papercraft tools and pens etc at one end of the table
Photo #2 is my lightbox. I got this years ago for scrapbooking/cardmaking and then hardly used it, but now I use it all the time to tranfer patterns from paper to template plastic, it's utterly invaluable! Below that is my basket of props for photos of the bears, and at the end are a couple of drawer units full of paper. The large scrapbooking stash inspired the scrapbook with every bear idea, it should hopefully help me slim that down :crackup:
Photo #3 is my beanbag, where I sit to sew, and behind that is my table of sewing stuff and tools. The beanbag is currently being modelled by Beatrix, an All Bear, as we're sharing it! She uses it when I'm not sitting there, and when I'm there she deigns to sit up on the sofa. The sofa has a pattern sitting on the end of it patiently waiting to be transferred over to card (as it's a mini, I don't use template plastic)
Photo #4 taken by turning round again, and we can see the piles of fur sitting on the floor waiting to have their patterns transferred on, as you can see, I have a bit of a backlog!
Photo #5, taken turning to my left so you can see my computer and my stash of mohair and joints/eys etc in the drawer units next to it. My patterns are in files between the computer desk and the drawers with fur in. I have more material stashed under the sofa for accessories etc
The room isn't the biggest, but I'm a big fan of B&Q's storage solutions to cram as much in as possible
Thank you Joanne, Jeannette, Laura, Katy & Karon for your comforting words for my One Butt Studio :)
Karon, I love the card. The words are probably approprite for all of us I imagine
Katy, you look very organized. I think your studio is just slightly bigger then mine.
Your studio is awsome Laura. So organized & BIG. I love the puppy gate too. Does your new little baby bite at your feet as you're sewing?
Thank you again for your wonderful comments and photos.
Happy Tuesday
:hug: Denise
bingle bearsDenise, I LOVE your One Butt Studio! It's so organized and you have so many inspirational and creative things at hand and surrounding you. You are just surrounded in beautiful things. I also love your "inspiration" board--I've been itching to do one and after seeing yours I might just have to have a go at it.
Laura Lynn, you have an envious studio--big AND puppy filled! So organized! So much light!
Katy, I love all the cozy places to sit and all the supplies right where you need them. i'm like Denise and I have supplies here, there, and everywhere!
Boy, I just LOVE this thread. Everyone's space is so creative!
I love to see everyone's great workspaces!....and try not to be too envious as I have a tiny workroom at the top of the house! 
.....but I mainly store all my stuff there and work mainly in the kitchen/day room where there's lots of light and space...and the kettle and the biscuits! 
....the pics are of a tidied room after the chaos of preparations for the Hugglets show!
This has been such a fun thread.
Lynne -- why does your workspace remind me of Gepetto's workshop? Maybe one of those dolls is dreaming of becoming a real boy...
Becky
